Mahrez edges Leicester to within touching distance of the knock-out stages while Lloris saves Spurs in Germany. Here’s the key moments from Tuesday’s Champions League matches…
Bayer Leverkusen 0 Tottenham Hotspur 0
It’s been a good few days for keepers. After Sunday’s Tom Heaton heroics and David de Gea’s Monday masterclass, it was all about Hugo Lloris (5.5) as Spurs held out for a point against Leverkusen.
Having had the better of the first-half, Tottenham hung on after the break, with Lloris making three superb saves.
Coach Mauricio Pochettino made four changes from the team who drew at West Brom.
Kieran Trippier’s (4.8) inclusion allowed Kyle Walker (6.0) to have his customary Euro break, while Heung-Min Son (7.7) and Danny Rose (5.9) returned to the starting line-up and Eric Dier (5.2) replaced the injured Toby Alderweireld (6.5).
This would appear to indicate starts for Walker and perhaps Ben Davies (4.9) in Gameweek 9.
Son didn’t come in for Vincent Janssen (7.8) up front, however, but in a midfield swap with Moussa Sissoko (6.8).
Should Pochettino continue with that tactic in the Premier League, the 13.3% of Fantasy Premier League managers with Son in their squads will be concerned about their man’s potentially reduced goal threat, particularly with Harry Kane (10.7) thought to be lining up a Gameweek 11 return.
Janssen again failed to score, although he did hit the bar, and Dele Alli (8.2) should have done better when he headed wide from six yards out.
Pochettino praised his keeper post-match – and gave an update on the 18.1%-owned Alderweireld.
“To talk about Hugo, he’s one of the best. That’s my opinion about him. It’s great to have him in goal. His save was fantastic and very important for the team. It’s difficult for the weekend because it’s still painful for him (Alderweireld) but it’s important that the scan was all clear. We’ll now see. If he’s not involved this weekend, maybe for the next few games.”
Alderweireld’s potential absence at Bournemouth will come as a blow, not just to his own 18% ownership but also the 36.7% with Walker in their line-ups.
The Belgian is a vital component of Pochettino’s defence which will be more vulnerable at the Vitality without his influence.
Spurs have kept four clean sheets to this point – more than any other Premier League side – but will be colliding with a Bournemouth outfit with three successive home wins, having scored eight goals over those matches.
Their next Champions League encounter will see them host Bayer Leverkusen at White Hart Lane following the Gameweek 10 date with Leicester City.
Spurs XI: Lloris, Trippier, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose, Alli, Wanyama, Lamela (Sissoko 71), Eriksen, Son (Onomah 90), Janssen (Dembele 65).
Leicester City 1 FC Copenhagen 0
The returning Algerian duo of Riyad Mahrez (9.2) and Islam Slimani (8.5) kept Leicester’s 100% Champions League record intact.
Rested at the weekend, an influential Mahrez flicked home Slimani’s header for the winner to virtually assure new year European football for the Foxes.
Boss Claudio Ranieri also restored full-back Danny Simpson (5.0) to the Leicester defence, which kept a second European clean sheet to go with their three domestic shut-outs. For that they had Kasper Schmeichel (5.0) to thank, the Dane making a fine late save.
Post-match, Ranieri was keen to turn the attention back to his team’s poor domestic form.
“You spend a lot of mental energy in the Champions League. When you come back, you are a little down, but this is normal. We want to change this mood because it is important now for us the Premier League. The Premier League is our priority.”
One player struggling in both competitions is Jamie Vardy (9.7). He again failed to score and has no goals in Europe and just two in the league this season, while Slimani continues to impress.
The Englishman enjoys 12.0% ownership, Slimani just 1.7%. A trip to Spurs aside, the Foxes have a blossoming set of fixtures to come, including Crystal Palace, West Brom and Middlesbrough at home and a trip to Sunderland.
Slimani, who is 1.2 cheaper and has matched Vardy’s goal count from four fewer starts, could offer a better value investment over that kindly spell.
Meanwhile, Mahrez continues to shine in Europe without translating that to Fantasy returns – he’s fetched just a single assist since his Gameweek 1 penalty kick at Hull City but has three Champions League goals.
The Foxes face the reverse fixture in Copenhagen on November 2, four days after the Gameweek trip to Spurs.
Leicester City XI: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Mahrez (Amartey 91), King, Drinkwater, Albrighton, Vardy (Okazaki 84), Slimani (Ulloa 87).
